Boxing films

[skyvue]

Most of the movies previously mentioned are fairy tale type stories where the hero eventually becomes a top contender or champion.

THE SET-UP, cited in the first post in this thread, is anything but a fairy tale -- it's as gritty as it gets. I highly recommend it.

 

[WildCelt]

I just watched "Play It To The Bone" with Antonio Banderas and Woody Harrelson the other day. That's a fun one.

 

[Feraud]

I watched Golden Boy with William Holden and Barbara Stanwyck.
Heavy on the schmaltz and with only one boxing scene.
I think Lee J. Cobb stole the show.

 

[Feraud]

Was The Great White Hope with James Earl Jones mentioned in this thread? Another great fight flick.
Isn't Chester Morris in this move too? Morris was great in the Boston Blackie films.

 

[Feraud]

Just watched The Wrestler with Mickey Rourke last night. This is the story of a pro wrestler grappling with being on the downside of his profession, fame, and life. Aronofsky brought realism and a respect to the subject and all of the characters in the film. This film reminded me in many ways of Fat City and The Champ.

The characters in The Wrestler remind me of some of the bodybuilders showcased in the fantastic documentary Bigger, Stronger, Faster*.

 

[Tomasso]

a pro wrestler grappling

Or a pro grappler wrestling.....

 

[Feraud]

I knew someone would find a joke in that comment! lol

 

[celtic]

Boxing Helena was interesting.

 

[Fedord Spaniard]

Fight Club (It had underground fighting), Gladiator (1992), Rocky III, Rocky IV.

 

[Feraud]

Boxing Helena was interesting.

That is funny. lol

 

[Martinis at 8]

I boxed at West Point. The mandatory Plebe class, and then again for intramurals. My son followed me and made it to the boxing team there. If you are in New York, it's worth a trip to see the Brigade Opens at the academy. That's some of the best amateur boxing around (AAU/Golden Gloves). Great sport. I have generally followed boxing since I was a kid, being born and growing up just a few blocks from the Olympic auditorium in downtown Los Angeles.

I love boxing movies.

Real life professional boxing has some costs. I remember watching the Mancini-Kim fight. Ray "Boom-Boom" Mancini was one of my all time favorite fighters. Very sad outcome for Kim, and a life changing event for Mancini.

The sport goes on.

 

[Martinis at 8]

BTW, the boxer I detest most is Roberto Duran, though I used to think he was the greatest when I was a kid. Until one day I saw him on a CCTV fight against Kenny Buchanan (a Scotsman). Duran hit Kenny right in the balls. Kenny could not recover. I was astounded when the judges gave the fight to Duran. It remains one of the most controversial fights in boxing history. Duran went down the toilet after that as far as I was concerned.

Sorry, I could talk boxing all day. Back to the movies.

 

[Matt Crunk]

The Set Up is probably my favorite boxing picture. The story could have been told without ever showing the ring (and almost was).

Did someone mention Pulp Fiction in this thread? I believe the Brice Willis segment borrowed heavily from The Set Up: the focus on the character in the locker room rather than in the ring, both boxers were supposed to take a dive but didn't, and were now in trouble with the mob.

The first Rocky is also a great picture.

 

[Feraud]

I watched Requiem for a Heavyweight this weekend.
Still a great film.

Has anyone seen the Playhouse 90 version with Jack Palance?

 

[Feraud]

If you like boxing, John Huston films, and are in NYC from 9/18-10/01, head down to the Film Forum and see Fat City.

Starring Stacy Keach and Jeff Bridges.

(1972) Two fighters spar in an empty gym; one on the way up: 18-year-old “natural” Jeff Bridges, ticketed for the pros via an intro to manager Nicholas Colasanto (later “Coach” on Cheers); and one on the way down: pushing-30 ex-pro Stacy Keach, mortified by pulling a muscle in his first workout after a two-year layoff. But there are detours along the way, for Bridges his knocked-up girlfriend Candy Clark (in her debut), and for Keach his involvement with (Oscar-nominated) Susan Tyrrell, tearing it up as the Barfly to end all Barflies (“boozed, blowsy, and so good, so out of her mind with hope and depression, so used, so soiled, so lifelike…” – David Thomson). Maybe just one more win for Keach and he could get it all back. But what changes if you actually win? All location-shot by the great Conrad Hall (“with lovely shabby color that looks like paper used to wrap a burger” –Thomson) in Stockton, California at its dustiest, these are perhaps the Losing-est in Huston’s gallery of Beautiful Losers, with terrific if decidedly unglamorous boxing scenes and a cast seeded with actual fighters, most notably former welterweight champ Curtis Cokes in his only acting role, letter-perfect as Tyrrell’s sometime boyfriend “Earl.” “Huston’s best… As much as anything, it is the accuracy of this microcosm of the world that is so impressive, and Huston’s sympathy with his motley characters.” – Derek Malcolm.

A film from when they made 'em great.

 

[DanielJones]

The Kid from Brooklyn (1946) Danny Kaye & Eve Arden (from "Our Ms. Brooks" fame)

The Milky Way (1936) with Harold Lloyd.

Both great films in a funny way.

Cheers!

Dan

 

[NicknNora]

I watched Requiem for a Heavyweight this weekend.
Still a great film.

Has anyone seen the Playhouse 90 version with Jack Palance?

I've seen it (I actually have the video). I liked Quinn playing Mountain Rivera better than Palance playing Mountain McClintock. Maybe it's because I saw that one first but for me Anthony Quinn will always be Mountain.

I think we've got all the Hollywood boxing films listed but I'd like to add one that while it was more of a documentary than a movie should still be included in our list.

When We Were Kings.

 

[NicknNora]

Anyone see The Hurricane with Denzel Washington? I read an interview with him in Men's Vogue, probably the best men's magazine out there, and it made me want to rent it.

I've seen it. It was good but I thought it could have been better.

 

[NicknNora]

I've been watching a LOT of boxing movies lately for a project we're developing. One of the best is the Anthony Quinn version of Requiem For A Heavyweight. He's great, Jackie Gleason is great, even Mickey Rooney shines and a wonderful script by Rod Serling. I'm working on getting the Playhouse 90 version with Jack Palance as well - see how it compares. Raging Bull, Rocky, Cinderella Man all good flicks too.

How would you folks react to a gritty boxing TV series? You know, on HBO, Showtime - definitely a cable piece. Something you might watch?

I'd watch it but didn't HBO try a dramatic series about boxing once?

 

[NicknNora]

There are two new boxing movies in the works...

The Fighter with Christian Bale

and Pound for Pound with Billy Bob Thornton